1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for grinding solid materials entrained in the liquid stream for forming slurry, slush, pulp or colloidal mixes.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Many devices for comminuting frangible materials have been suggested. Of these, one group has come to be known as anvil mills. Such mills include means for accelerating coarse particles to a high velocity, at which time the particles are allowed to impact against each other or against anvil-like members in order to substantially reduce the size thereof. One example of such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,562,753, issued July 31, 1951 to Trost. The Trost device includes a circular housing encompassing a plurality of wedge-shaped restrictors. The restrictors are placed within the radial outer portion of the grinding chamber, each adjacent to a jet of energizing fluid and placed such that the outer portion of the circulating fluid and the larger particles contained therein will be diverted by said restrictors toward the peripheral wall of the chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,991, issued Sept. 5, 1972 to Andrews, shows a jet and anvil comminuting apparatus which includes a jet which accelerates particles entrained gas into a chamber having a rotating wheel connected to a plurality of anvils which anvils cross the path of the injection jet at a rate of several hundred anvils per second. U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,485, issued June 26, 1973 to Gage et al, shows a grinder for increasing the bulk density of finely divided materials. The Gage et al device includes a cylindrical grinding chamber having a tangential input nozzle and a centrally located fluid exit tube. Particle size reduction is effected by contact of the particles with one another and with the sides of the grinding chamber. Centrifugal force holds the larger particles toward the outside of the chamber while the smaller particles tend toward the center of the chamber and exit over the top of the centrally located exit tube. Retention time of the ground product may be regulated by changing the height of the exit tube. U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,231, issued Nov. 22, 1977 to Neu, shows an apparatus for selectively comminuting particles of a frangible material. The Neu device includes an essentially linear housing having a plurality of rows of impactors disposed thereacross. The adjacent rows of impactors are staggered for providing a tortuous route for particles thereby insuring contact of some of the particles with certain of the impactors.